An Open Letter to the PS Nation Community

29. Nov, 2012

As we get closer to the end of 2012, and of course, the end of our Extra Life efforts for the year, i can’t help being a bit overwhelmed at the continued and amazing support that you’ve all shown. I mean, we’re just a couple of guys recording our conversations every week. We don’t have any formal writing or media training, and we’re definitely not what you’d consider a “professional” in any sense of the term when it comes to what we do. But for some reason, you, all of you, continue to stick with not only us, but with the community that’s built itself up around us.

It might sound like I’m pandering, or just completely full of shit, but I am sincerely thankful every day for what this has become, and for all of the amazing people that we’ve been able to meet and know. It’s impossible to feel alone in life because I know that a ton of true friends are only a click away, and that makes me feel like the luckiest person in the world. Along those lines also, are the awesome folks in the gaming industry that we’ve gotten to know so well. I’m pretty shocked on a daily basis that we’ve had the privilege to do what we do, especially with the support that we get from these folks. It’s a weird tightrope we at PS Nation walk. We’ve worked our asses off to get recognized enough to be able to review games before they release and the opportunities to attend events for early peeks at upcoming games, but we don’t do this as a “job.” It’s still a labor of love, and at least personally, it’s changed the direction that I want my life to go.

I still don’t know how we’ve gotten some of these folks to actually talk to us on the podcast (I’m still bummed that we didn’t get Hasselhoff though.) How long that at least I have been doing this is quite surprising. If you knew me well enough, you’d know that I have an attention span that could be measured in seconds. I drove my parents crazy as a child because the one phrase they heard multiple times a day, and will haunt them for the rest of their lives, the phrase “I’m bored.”

Also, thank God for Josh! I’ve had the pleasure of some great partners in this endeavor, but poor Josh definitely puts-up with my OCD (or whatever it could be categorized) no matter how bad it gets, because quite frankly, he’s worse than I am! What we do isn’t easy at times, but we’re definitely to blame equally in how much that we put into this. There’s nothing that dictates that we have to put as much time into this as we do, but the results are definitely tangible, and now with our writers, this brand is becoming something pretty cool.

I know that I harp on Extra Life and on MGC a lot, but the sentiment is honest and sincere. With Extra Life, we get the opportunity to help a bunch of kids that need the help, and hey, it’s not a bad thing to feel good about ourselves every once in a while. With MGC, well that’s just selfish on my part, because it’s the one chance that I get to meet those who I don’t get to when I travel to other locations. I know that, especially when Mark was on the team, we always worried that we oversold the weekend, but I think if you talk to anyone that’s made the trip, we’ve always had a blast. It’s not just about the classic gaming stuff etc, it’s about getting the chance to actually spend time with everyone in the same place instead of on the Internet.

So, as our 300th episode approaches (WHAT!?!) I just can’t believe what this has become. It’s a part of my life, in good times and bad, and I’d have it no other way. Some of my friends and family don’t understand why I do it, and honestly, sometimes I don’t know either. I hit our forums, or Twitter, or yes, even Facebook and am hit with an immediate reminder though.

It’s you, all of you folks that have become a part of my life. It’s YOU that keep interacting, it’s YOU that keep getting involved, it’s YOU that keep posting in the forums, it’s YOU that buy our stuff to help us pay our bills, it’s YOU that play online with us, it’s YOU that come out to meet-up with us when we travel to events, it’s YOU that watch our unorganized live shows, it’s YOU that stay up with us for 24 hours straight, and it’s YOU that really built PS Nation into what it is today. Quite frankly, that’s more than I ever thought possible, but it’s YOU that prove me wrong every day. Josh and I are merely the facilitators. I mean, just look at what we’ve done for Extra Life this year. Out of over 16,000 players…. 16 THOUSAND, we were 4th in money raised. FOURTH!!! Are you kidding me!?! That alone is something that just blows my mind, and it shouldn’t. I should know better by now.

So, to all of you crazies in 100+ different countries that download these recorded conversations (I didn’t even know English was spoken in 100 countries), to all of you that hang out on Facebook/Forums/Twitter, to all of you that play games with us online, and to all of you that stay involved and keep this thing alive, I humbly thank you. I’m honored to be a part of this, and I’m honored that you actually care (or that you fake it really well.)

i lost where i was a few times.. im sorry but i gave up.. thats why i hate reading.. although im glad i found you guys.. you guys are amazing and always keep up the great work. and i get all my info for video games(and movies) from you.. as a fan i would like to thank you all for all the work you do..

http://www.youtube.com/user/Stoffinator2008?gl=CA&hl=en Stoffinator

It’s been a wild ride. I can’t wait for number 300. Its unbelievable. A big thanks to Josh and yourself Glenn for the work you guys put into the show and the website. I do fear the day when yourself no longer wants to do this.

Ramen_4_Life

I’ve only been listening for a little over 100 eps., but whether it’s in one sitting or over a span of a few days, you guys haven’t been anywhere close to boring. The reviews, first impressions, hearing what you’ve been playing, what you’ve been watching (you FINALLY did a movie podcast!), and especially the developer interviews; everything about the podcast is entertaining. Great stuff all around.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=577140927 Hannah Lee

I’m glad I found PSNation. There is no substitute. Thank you Glenn, Josh and all the writers for keeping us in the loop and entertained.

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Monteagudo/542623166 John Monteagudo

Damn, Glen, you gonna make me cry.

Jay

been listening since episode 160 something, still the only podcast I truly look forward to every week.. I listen to a few others but they just don’t do it for me like PSNATION does. Thanks to you two guys and shout out to the writers as well.

HayaruKawai

Thank you Glenn, Josh and all the writers of PS Nation. The very thing that makes your podcast and opinions relevant is the very same fact that it’s as you said, a labor of love, and it shows, it shows in every podcast, in every post, in every update, and in what the community shares and brings. You recently been thanking Yeahbeer for a many things, but without knowing him, I know that it is because you and Josh have inspired him to do all the work he has been doing, out of his passion for gaming and the community. I for one, feel quite proud and good to be a part of this community, and I believe and hope that we stay together for many many years.

It’s going to be hilarious being grandpa-gamers, but that is what I am sure most of us will be, and very happy playing with whatever system is out there in the next 30-40 years